The '''Sound Four''' were [[Orochimaru]]'s elite bodyguards.([[Sakon and Ukon]] were counted as one entity,dueto [[Sakon and Ukon's Kekkei Genkai|their kekkei genkai]]). Each was given a [[Sound Four's Cursed Seals|cursed seal]] by Orochimaru. [[Kimimaro]] was also a part of the group for a short time, since he was stronger than all four combined, thus renaming the group to '''Sound Five'''. However, an unexpected illness prevented him from participating normally. All five repeatedly referred to their opponents as "trash".

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The {{translation|'''Sound Four'''|音隠れの忍四人衆|Otogakure no Shinobi Yonin Shū|lit meaning=Hidden Sound Shinobi Four People}} were [[Orochimaru]]'s elite bodyguards, though they are technically five despite [[Sakon and Ukon]] counting as one entity becauseof [[Sakon and Ukon's Kekkei Genkai|their kekkei genkai]].

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WhenOrochimarusenttheSound Four to bring him [[Sasuke Uchiha]], theywereallsystematicallykilled by [[Konoha]]and[[Suna]] ninja. Jirōbōwaskilledby[[Chōji]],andKidōmaru was killed by [[Neji]],thoughtheKonohaninjasufferedheavyinjuries.Ukonalmostkilled [[Kiba]], andTayuyaalmostkilled[[Shikamaru]],butbothwerestoppedandkilledby[[Kankurō]]and[[Temari]]respectively. Kimimaro,afterbeingsentasback-up,almostdefeated[[RockLee]]and[[Gaara]],but died from his illness during the battle.

Sometimebeforethe [[Fourth Shinobi World War]], [[Kabuto Yakushi]] took Sakon's [[Attack of the Twin Demons]] ability, in which he further used to absorb the abilities of the entire Sound Five, allowing him to use all of their skills against Sasuke and [[Itachi]].

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==History==

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[[File:Capture_Sound_Four.png|thumb|left|The Sound Four among Orochimaru's other captured experimental subjects.]]

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Despite their young age, all members of the Sound Four were among Orochimaru's strongest ninja and become his personal bodyguards. In the anime, they were originally Orochimaru's captured experiment subjects, and after being pitted against other prisoners in a death brawl and surviving via desire to live, they were granted the positions of Orochimaru's bodyguards.<ref name="NS305">''Naruto: Shippūden'' episode 305</ref>

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The strongest among them was [[Kimimaro]], who was one of Orochimaru's most prized subordinate, possessing the rare [[kekkei genkai]] [[Shikotsumyaku]] of the [[Kaguya Clan]] and a candidate to be one a [[Living Corpse Reincarnation|host body]] for their master. After a young Kimimaro befriended [[Jūgo]] and brought him to Orochimaru, the [[Sannin]] learned of [[senjutsu]] and master it at [[Ryūchi Cave]]. Unable to use [[Sage Mode]] properly, Orochimaru instead devised the [[cursed seal]]s by combining his senjutsu [[chakra]] into the mutative enzymes he isolated from Jūgo's blood. After testing his [[Orochimaru's Juinjutsu|juinjutsu]] on several subjects, Orochimaru placed the finalised versions on the Sound Four to increased their strength.

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Sometime later, Kimimaro was branded with one of Orochimaru's strongest cursed seals, the [[Cursed Seal of Earth]], and then fought the Sound Four to test his new powers. After defeating the Sound Four with ease and leaving a rather fearful and negative impression on them, Kimimaro become the group's leader before stepping down due to his terminal illness. In the anime, Kimimaro and Sound Four was revealed to have participated in the killing of [[Shiore]] and his team so that Orochimaru could impersonate him and infiltrate the [[Chūnin Exams]], with the members likely posing as Shiore's team-mates as well.

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After assassinating of the [[Fourth Kazekage]] and his bodyguards, Orochimaru and the Sound Four masqueraded as them in perpetration to invade [[Konohagakure]], whilst Kimimaro's disease fully manifests and was send back to [[Otogakure]] to be (unsuccessfully) treated by [[Kabuto Yakushi]]. Once the Konoha Crush began, the Sound Four discarded their disguises alongside their master and erected the [[Four Violet Flames Formation]] barrier to prevented anyone from interfering in the battle between Orochimaru and The Third [[Hokage]], [[Hiruzen Sarutobi]]. After his defeat, they carried Orochimaru out of the village and retreated back to Otogakure.

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[[File:Sasuke leaving.png|thumb|The Sound Four leaving Konoha with their new leader.]]

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When Orochimaru sent the Sound Four to bring him [[Sasuke Uchiha]], they are soon confronted and entered multiple battles within the three-day limited time of their mission. After exerting themselves against two Konoha [[Jonin]], Jirōbō and Kidōmaru were respectively killed by [[Chōji Akimichi]] and [[Neji Hyūga]] when they and their [[Sasuke Recovery Team|team]] were deployed to bring Sasuke back to Konoha. Sakon and his brother Ukon overwhelmed [[Kiba Inuzuka]] while Tayuya almost killed [[Shikamaru]] before the remaining Oto ninja were killed off when their opponents received aid from [[Kankurō]] and [[Temari]]. Though Kimimaro later joined the fray to ensure the mission succeeds (which did, as without him the opposing team would have retrieved Sasuke), he died from his illness as he almost killed [[Rock Lee]] and [[Gaara]].

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It would be revealed years later during the [[Fourth Shinobi World War]] that [[Kabuto Yakushi]] assimilated DNA samples from the Sound Four and Kimimaro, using Sakon and Ukon's [[Attack of the Twin Demons]] ability to [[Strange Transmission Distant Shadow|create a shape-shifting construct]] from his body to use the abilities of the entire Sound Five.<ref>Chapter 585</ref> Kimimaro himself was brought to life with [[Summoning: Impure World Reincarnation]] to assisted in the war, believing Orochimaru was the one who summoned him, and fought diligently until his soul was released back to the afterlife.

In the anime, the Sound Four are [[Summoning: Impure World Reincarnation|reincarnated]] by Kabuto as a part of a "wish granted" by Orochimaru, from a promise that they would become "the ones who seek vengeance" after their deaths. Kabuto took advantage of this not only for them to serve as test subjects on how the cursed seals function with reincarnated ninja, but also as a diversion to slow down the remaining [[Allied Shinobi Forces]] while he prepared his [[Madara Uchiha|trump card]].<ref name="NS303">''Naruto: Shippūden'' episode 303</ref> Believing they were all brought back by Orochimaru as a reward, the Sound Four engaged their respective Sasuke Recovery Team opponents in battle again. Though their opponents got stronger since the last time they fought, the Sound Four trapped them with the [[Space–Time Technique Formula: Underworld Turnover]] technique so they can have their revenge even if they are somehow defeated. However, Shikamaru tricks the Sound Four into embracing their undying hatred so Naruto can find the barrier and [[Ultra-Big Ball Rasenshuriken|destroy]] it. Denied their revenge, the Sound Four attack Naruto before he easily defeats them as they are sent back to the afterlife.<ref name="NS305">''Naruto: Shippūden'' episode 305</ref>

== Abilities ==

== Abilities ==

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Despite being young, all four of them are strong enough to become Orochimaru's bodyguards, and were all talented with barrier and sealing techniques. Shortly after their introduction during the [[invasionof Konoha]], they used [[Four Violet Flames Battle Encampment]] to create a box-like barrier, that causes anything that touches it to burst into flames. When the group later fetched Sasuke, they used the [[Four Black Fog Battle Formation]] and [[Dark Sealing Method]] to protect Sasuke from harm. As the group later rested, they set up a [[Barrier EncampmentMethod]].EachmemberoftheSoundFour also had a cardinaldirectionassociatedwiththem;thiswasprobablyareferencetotheir positions when performing techniques as a group: [[Jirōbō]] of the South, [[Kidōmaru]] of the East, [[SakonandUkon]]ofthe West, and [[Tayuya]] of the North.<ref>''Naruto''chapter 177, page 14</ref>

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Despite being young, all four of them are strong enough to become Orochimaru's bodyguards, and were all talented with [[Barrier Ninjutsu|barrier]] and [[Fūinjutsu|sealing]] techniques, as well being knowledgeable of [[Juinjutsu]] and Orochimaru's curses seals. The group also excelled at [[Cooperation Ninjutsu]] and can preformed many high-level, advanced techniques when working together. Shortly after their introduction during the [[KonohaCrush]], they used [[Four Violet Flames Formation]] to create a box-like barrier, that causes anything that touches it to burst into flames. When the group later fetched Sasuke, they used the [[Four Black Fogs Formation]] and [[Dark Sealing Method]] to protect Sasuke from harm. As the group later rested, they set up a [[Barrier MethodFormation]] aswellasseveraltrapsaround a largepartoftheforest.Intheanime,theywerealsocapable of using the [[Space–TimeTechniqueFormula:UnderworldTurnover]].<ref name="NS303"/>

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Each member of the Sound Four also had a cardinal direction associated with them; this was probably a reference to their positions when performing techniques as a group: [[Jirōbō]] of the South, [[Kidōmaru]] of the East, [[Sakon and Ukon]] of the West, and [[Tayuya]] of the North.<ref>Chapter 177, page 14</ref>

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As with most of his powerful followers, Orochimaru branded them with different [[Sound Four's Cursed Seals|cursed seals]], which greatly enhanced their individual abilities. In the anime, Shikamaru stated that each members' prowess was of [[jōnin]]-level.<ref>''Naruto: Shippūden'' episode 304</ref> Their individual abilities made them a well-balanced team overall:<ref>Second Databook, page 182-183</ref>

* With [[Sakon and Ukon's Kekkei Genkai|their kekkei genkai]], Sakon and Ukon were skilled at close-range and combination attacks.

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* Tayuya was capable of multi-directional support through [[genjutsu]] or by controlling her [[Doki]].

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== Missions ==

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;[[Konoha Crush|Guard Orochimaru]]

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* '''Rank:''' Unknown

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* '''Status:''' Partial Success

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During the Konoha Crush, the Sound Four erected a barrier which prevented anyone from meddling in the battle between Orochimaru and The Third Hokage, [[Hiruzen Sarutobi]]. Although Orochimaru succeeded in killing Hiruzen, his arms were [[Dead Demon Consuming Seal|crippled with necrosis]], thus halting the Konoha Crush. The Sound Four carried Orochimaru out of the village and to safety. It was later noted by Kabuto that had Kimimaro not fell ill and stepped down from the Sound Four, this mission would have gone much smoother, something Orochimaru agreed with.

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;[[Sasuke Recovery Mission|Escorting Sasuke]]

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* '''Rank:''' Unknown

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* '''Status:''' Partial Success

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On Orochimaru's orders, the Sound Four convinced Sasuke to joined them after showcasing their power and escort him to Orochimaru so he could use the [[Living Corpse Reincarnation]] on Sasuke to make him his new host body. They were given about a three-day time limit to complete this mission, however, the Sound Four soon engaged in an exhausting battle with [[Genma Shiranui]] and [[Raido Namiashi]]. Soon after, Konoha's [[Sasuke Recovery Team]] confronted them, forcing both teams to split up one by one in order carry out their mission. Although they failed to bring Sasuke within the time limit for their master to use as a host, the Sound Four was able to stop Konoha's forces and their [[Three Sand Siblings|allies]] from reaching him with help from the powerful, yet terminally-ill Kimimaro. At the cost of all the members' lives, Sasuke successfully made it to [[Otogakure]] to begin his training with Orochimaru.

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;[[Fourth Shinobi World War: Confrontation|Stalling for Time]]

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* '''Rank:''' Unknown

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* '''Status:''' Success

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Kimimaro was brought back as one of the many powerful soldiers to participate in the [[Fourth Shinobi World War]]. In the anime, Kabuto also reincarnated the other members of the Sound Four for dual purposes: to test out how a Cursed Seal would function in reincarnated shinobi and to stall for time while he prepares his [[Madara Uchiha|trump card]]. The four, unaware of this, believed they were brought back by Orochimaru as a reward for their loyalty, and a chance to avenge their own deaths upon the team who defeated them. Though they were ultimately defeated by Naruto and failed to get their revenge, they succeeded in showing Kabuto his experimental results and gave him the time needed.

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== Other Media ==

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* The Sound Five are playable characters in ''[[Naruto: Gekitō Ninja Taisen! 4]]'', but they only appear with the Second Stage of the Cursed Seal.

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* The Sound Five are playable in ''[[Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 3]]'', ''[[Naruto Shippūden: Ultimate Ninja 4]]'', and ''[[Naruto Shippūden: Ultimate Ninja 5]]'' with both their normal and cursed seal forms.

* The recurring symbol on the Sound Four's tunics was the yin-yang, though the yin (black) was missing. The missing yin represented imbalance, alluding to their evil natures and to that of the seals, preventing harmony in life.

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* The recurring symbol on the Sound Four's tunics was the yin-yang, though the yin colour (black) was missing. The missing yin represented imbalance, alluding to their evil natures and to that of the seals, preventing harmony in life.

* Jirōbō and Sakon (and Ukon) specialised in close-quarter combat, while Kidōmaru and Tayuya specialised in long range combat. Kimimaro was balanced in both types.

* Jirōbō and Sakon (and Ukon) specialised in close-quarter combat, while Kidōmaru and Tayuya specialised in long range combat. Kimimaro was balanced in both types.

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* Each member of the Sound Four tends to have a flaw in their personality that slows down the team: Jirōbō gets hungry and stays behind to feed, Kidōmaru tends to play around with his opponents if they interest him, Sakon can easily lose his temper and showcases the fact that he is the strongest of the four by not stopping until his opponents is dead, and Tayuya has a "doesn't want-to-lose" mentality.<ref>''Naruto'' chapter 202, page 16</ref>

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* Each member of the Sound Four tended to have a flaw in their personality that slows down the team: Jirōbō gets hungry and stays behind to feed, Kidōmaru tends to play around with his opponents if they interest him, Sakon can easily lose his temper and showcases the fact that he is the strongest of the four by not stopping until his opponents are dead, and Tayuya has a "doesn't want-to-lose" mentality.<ref>Chapter 202, page 16</ref>

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* Kidōmaruwas the only membertowearanOtoforeheadprotector.

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* Kimimaroand Tayuya are the only membersof Sound Five that placed on the[[NarutoCharacterPopularityPolls|characterpolls]].

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* The Sound Four were playable characters in ''[[Naruto: Gekitō Ninja Taisen! 4]]'', but they only appeared with the Second Stage of the Cursed Seal. Later, the Sound Four were playable characters in the ''[[Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 3]]'', ''[[Naruto Shippūden: Ultimate Ninja 4|4]]'' and ''[[Naruto Shippūden: Ultimate Ninja 5|5]]'' with both regular and Cursed Seal forms playable.

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{{Youthwiki|Sound Five}}

== References ==

== References ==

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[[de:Sound-Five]]

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[[es:Cuatro del Sonido]]

Latest revision as of 16:47, July 28, 2015

This is the article on the group of shinobi from Otogakure. If you are looking for the article on the chapter of the manga, head to The Oto Four.

The Sound Four (音隠れの忍四人衆, Otogakure no Shinobi Yonin Shū, Literally meaning: Hidden Sound Shinobi Four People) were Orochimaru's elite bodyguards, though they are technically five despite Sakon and Ukon counting as one entity because of their kekkei genkai.

Seeing their opponents as inferior to themselves, each member was given a cursed seal. The four were reluctantly forced to accept Kimimaro in their ranks when he single handily defeated them all, their group temporarily called the Sound Five (音隠れの忍五人衆, Otogakure no Shinobi Gonin Shū, Literally meaning: Hidden Sound Shinobi Five People) until Kimimaro's illness kept him from participating normally as the Sound Four supported Orochimaru during the Konoha Crush.

Contents

The Sound Four among Orochimaru's other captured experimental subjects.

Despite their young age, all members of the Sound Four were among Orochimaru's strongest ninja and become his personal bodyguards. In the anime, they were originally Orochimaru's captured experiment subjects, and after being pitted against other prisoners in a death brawl and surviving via desire to live, they were granted the positions of Orochimaru's bodyguards.[3]

The strongest among them was Kimimaro, who was one of Orochimaru's most prized subordinate, possessing the rare kekkei genkaiShikotsumyaku of the Kaguya Clan and a candidate to be one a host body for their master. After a young Kimimaro befriended Jūgo and brought him to Orochimaru, the Sannin learned of senjutsu and master it at Ryūchi Cave. Unable to use Sage Mode properly, Orochimaru instead devised the cursed seals by combining his senjutsu chakra into the mutative enzymes he isolated from Jūgo's blood. After testing his juinjutsu on several subjects, Orochimaru placed the finalised versions on the Sound Four to increased their strength.

Sometime later, Kimimaro was branded with one of Orochimaru's strongest cursed seals, the Cursed Seal of Earth, and then fought the Sound Four to test his new powers. After defeating the Sound Four with ease and leaving a rather fearful and negative impression on them, Kimimaro become the group's leader before stepping down due to his terminal illness. In the anime, Kimimaro and Sound Four was revealed to have participated in the killing of Shiore and his team so that Orochimaru could impersonate him and infiltrate the Chūnin Exams, with the members likely posing as Shiore's team-mates as well.

After assassinating of the Fourth Kazekage and his bodyguards, Orochimaru and the Sound Four masqueraded as them in perpetration to invade Konohagakure, whilst Kimimaro's disease fully manifests and was send back to Otogakure to be (unsuccessfully) treated by Kabuto Yakushi. Once the Konoha Crush began, the Sound Four discarded their disguises alongside their master and erected the Four Violet Flames Formation barrier to prevented anyone from interfering in the battle between Orochimaru and The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi. After his defeat, they carried Orochimaru out of the village and retreated back to Otogakure.

The Sound Four leaving Konoha with their new leader.

When Orochimaru sent the Sound Four to bring him Sasuke Uchiha, they are soon confronted and entered multiple battles within the three-day limited time of their mission. After exerting themselves against two Konoha Jonin, Jirōbō and Kidōmaru were respectively killed by Chōji Akimichi and Neji Hyūga when they and their team were deployed to bring Sasuke back to Konoha. Sakon and his brother Ukon overwhelmed Kiba Inuzuka while Tayuya almost killed Shikamaru before the remaining Oto ninja were killed off when their opponents received aid from Kankurō and Temari. Though Kimimaro later joined the fray to ensure the mission succeeds (which did, as without him the opposing team would have retrieved Sasuke), he died from his illness as he almost killed Rock Lee and Gaara.

In the anime, the Sound Four are reincarnated by Kabuto as a part of a "wish granted" by Orochimaru, from a promise that they would become "the ones who seek vengeance" after their deaths. Kabuto took advantage of this not only for them to serve as test subjects on how the cursed seals function with reincarnated ninja, but also as a diversion to slow down the remaining Allied Shinobi Forces while he prepared his trump card.[5] Believing they were all brought back by Orochimaru as a reward, the Sound Four engaged their respective Sasuke Recovery Team opponents in battle again. Though their opponents got stronger since the last time they fought, the Sound Four trapped them with the Space–Time Technique Formula: Underworld Turnover technique so they can have their revenge even if they are somehow defeated. However, Shikamaru tricks the Sound Four into embracing their undying hatred so Naruto can find the barrier and destroy it. Denied their revenge, the Sound Four attack Naruto before he easily defeats them as they are sent back to the afterlife.[3]

Each member of the Sound Four also had a cardinal direction associated with them; this was probably a reference to their positions when performing techniques as a group: Jirōbō of the South, Kidōmaru of the East, Sakon and Ukon of the West, and Tayuya of the North.[6]

As with most of his powerful followers, Orochimaru branded them with different cursed seals, which greatly enhanced their individual abilities. In the anime, Shikamaru stated that each members' prowess was of jōnin-level.[7] Their individual abilities made them a well-balanced team overall:[8]

During the Konoha Crush, the Sound Four erected a barrier which prevented anyone from meddling in the battle between Orochimaru and The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi. Although Orochimaru succeeded in killing Hiruzen, his arms were crippled with necrosis, thus halting the Konoha Crush. The Sound Four carried Orochimaru out of the village and to safety. It was later noted by Kabuto that had Kimimaro not fell ill and stepped down from the Sound Four, this mission would have gone much smoother, something Orochimaru agreed with.

On Orochimaru's orders, the Sound Four convinced Sasuke to joined them after showcasing their power and escort him to Orochimaru so he could use the Living Corpse Reincarnation on Sasuke to make him his new host body. They were given about a three-day time limit to complete this mission, however, the Sound Four soon engaged in an exhausting battle with Genma Shiranui and Raido Namiashi. Soon after, Konoha's Sasuke Recovery Team confronted them, forcing both teams to split up one by one in order carry out their mission. Although they failed to bring Sasuke within the time limit for their master to use as a host, the Sound Four was able to stop Konoha's forces and their allies from reaching him with help from the powerful, yet terminally-ill Kimimaro. At the cost of all the members' lives, Sasuke successfully made it to Otogakure to begin his training with Orochimaru.

Kimimaro was brought back as one of the many powerful soldiers to participate in the Fourth Shinobi World War. In the anime, Kabuto also reincarnated the other members of the Sound Four for dual purposes: to test out how a Cursed Seal would function in reincarnated shinobi and to stall for time while he prepares his trump card. The four, unaware of this, believed they were brought back by Orochimaru as a reward for their loyalty, and a chance to avenge their own deaths upon the team who defeated them. Though they were ultimately defeated by Naruto and failed to get their revenge, they succeeded in showing Kabuto his experimental results and gave him the time needed.

The recurring symbol on the Sound Four's tunics was the yin-yang, though the yin colour (black) was missing. The missing yin represented imbalance, alluding to their evil natures and to that of the seals, preventing harmony in life.

Jirōbō and Sakon (and Ukon) specialised in close-quarter combat, while Kidōmaru and Tayuya specialised in long range combat. Kimimaro was balanced in both types.

Each member of the Sound Four tended to have a flaw in their personality that slows down the team: Jirōbō gets hungry and stays behind to feed, Kidōmaru tends to play around with his opponents if they interest him, Sakon can easily lose his temper and showcases the fact that he is the strongest of the four by not stopping until his opponents are dead, and Tayuya has a "doesn't want-to-lose" mentality.[9]

Kimimaro and Tayuya are the only members of Sound Five that placed on the character polls.